The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-26
,YUR CASES DISPOSED OF.
PIE INTERSTATE COMMERCE
COMMISSIONS OPINIONS.
The Issuance OF Mileage Passenger
Tickets Must be. Fee From
4 Discrimination.

III Discrimination.
WASHINGTON, July 25.-The Inter
State Commerce Commission deliv.
bred ita opinion this afternoon in four
pf the CAGES recently brought before
&. The cases, entitled Louis Larri.
Don against tho Grand Trunk Railroad
COMPANY and the Michigan Central
Railroad Company aSainet the Grand
Trunk Riilr5sd Company, we're by
consent Of the parties heard together.
The chargs Ia njuet determination.
Harrison complains that the road
volld not sell him a thousand mile
ticket OF the price paid by commercial
travellers, and the Michigan Central
Company complains that the Grand
\ Trunk Company was selling 20 COM
merciGl 'travelsrs at lower rates than
the public generally. The defendant
4 admits he ffcts as chsrs ed, hut ayers
that nothing alleged is In conflict with
tbs law. The opinion reviews and
discusses at length the various points
4 set up by defendant, and concludes as
follows; Common carriers may
continue the issuance Of mile
age passenger tickets, the charges
Tor which must be reasonable and
Just and free from unjust discrimina.
bon or unTea sonsble preference. Per-
Ions belonging TO the class known as
n commercial travellers are not priv
Il legged to ride over railroads at lower
rates than are paid by other persons.
Whatever reasonable rates CONNER
cial travellers are made to pay othor
travellers msy be made to pay. To
charge one more than the other Is I'M.
lust discrimination, aud this is true
whether tickets issued are mileage
tickets or Ia some other form. The
refusal Of the defendant, the Chicago
and Grand Trunk Railway Company,
10 sell the complainant, Larson, q
thousand mile ticket for $40, the price
at which esid company YVES selling
such ticke'e 90 commercial travellers,
and tie neglect 10 publish rates Al
which defendant was offering 10 sell
mileage tickets, were ike in conflict
with "tEe act TO regulate commerce"
Opinion by MIR. Conn issioner MorTi-
son, all coDcurring.
ST. LOUIS oRocIRs.
Tho case OF the 81. Louis Wholesale
grocers sesinst the Missouri Pacific
embodits complaint that while com.
mutation tickets are cold 81 rates
which would amount TO not more than
SIS frat bonsand miles, the thousand
mile tickstg jpon which commercial
traveers travel are not sold for less
than s95 The commission is sleo
asked TO order and direct that dis.
elimination BE- msde IL favor Of com.
merclal travellers; in short, that thou.
sand mile tickets be sold to them al
lower rates than TO others. The com
mission does not regard the fact that
commuiati n tickets are put on tale at
given rate o be one that entities the
purchaser Of a mileage ticket to com
plain Of minus, discrimination II shaig'
ed higher rate. The circumstance
and conditions, tie opinion says, are
not the tame The commission fndi
,othing Ia the testimony submitted
- Ming TO show that the
'stsrre Of i25 for thousand
, /dile ticket Ia unrea onRbl'. In respect
d the order 4, is requested to make In
favor OF co mercial iravelers, the
opinion says: "rhe commission would
hardly bs willing TO make such ar
order In any case, however agent the
eli cumsiances might appear 10 be
But In respect 10 this matter W,
agree that the entire policy aud spirit
OF the law are sgslnst II, and tina
when miIeage tickets, 40 distinguished
from trip tickets, are iseued, they
should be told TO all impaItially, aut
on the same terms" Opinion by Mr.
Commiisioner Waller, all concurriDg
THR oAfH OF RALPH W. THAcHER,
Of scheu ecta ly, " Y, against thu
Fitchburg Railrosl Company ard 9th
ers, embgdiea a complaint that where
M the defendants formerly accepted
groin for transportation from con
piainAnts' elevator 10 Boston a. the
proportion OF through rates from Chi
cago allowed TO the lines east q
Schenectady, which wfs PRACTICAL!
six cents per 100, they now de
manded local rates, which are consid
erablY higher. and n restoration i
asked. The opinion says: "Tbe rate
with which complainant finds fault |
IL not claimed are 10 couhlct with tn
statute unless the cor h.ct lie found Il
the fact that they exceed what tn
roads accept on through business q
their proportion Of tbs rates fixed a
distant points. II that is In any sens
contrary TO the Law the illegalit
would not be corrected by compellip
the roads 10 accepi upon shipment
from Schenectady rates less than ar
charged from the stations farther eas'
I'VE cannot correct one allege
violation Of law by compellin
another. II complainant think
the Tatys from Schenectady an
4 immediate points 10 Boston and Boz
II ton points are excessive, no can raie
that question directly and distinotl,
and the commission can then ents
upon q full investigation OF the fac
bearing upon IL. But the question
not made here. II is proper 10 staI
that the question, whether a propo
ton Of through rates less than h
local rates over the fame line can Law
fully be accepted, 10 involved in PEN
ing case and Is awaiting further ev
dence and argument"
The complaint 10 dismissed. opiI
ion by Commissioner schoonmake
all concurring.
THE BURTON CAR CASE.
The Interstate Commeros Comml
sion has rendered decision In q
Burton stock car case to the ehe
that there Ia no apparent ground up,
which the railroad osn be ordered
pay mileage 10 the Burton Compan
In respect 10 the alleged unreaso
ableness oithe charge to shippers
stock by the Burton oars In excess
that TO shippers by ordinary cars, q
Commission says the caee Is not sat
Iaolotily pfesented. The commiBsi,